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The King had coone Tilford Manor house stood once ned within its walls In one night every trouble had fallen away like some dark curtain which had shut out the sun A princely suiven in such fashion that there could be no refusal With a bag of gold pieces at his saddle-bow Nigel rode once ar on the ho had not cause to bless his naht back cup and salver and bracelet, old and gold-work had for certain reasons which only those in the trade could fully understand gone up in value during the last week, so that already fifty gold pieces had to be paid el had received In vain the faithful Aylward fretted and fuht feather a shaft in the merchant's portly paunch The el hurried to Wat the arht that very suit for which he had yearned so short a time before Then and there he tried it on in the booth, Wat and his boy walking round hi rivets

"How is that, my fair sir?" cried the armorer as he drew the bassinet over the head and fastened it to the camail which extended to the shoulders "I swear by Tubal Cain that it fits you as the shell fits the crab! A finer suit never cael stood in front of a burnished shield which served as ahi bird His smooth breastplate, his wondrous joints with their deft protection by the disks at knee and elbow and shoulder, the beautifully flexible gauntlets and sollerets, the shirt of s of joy and of beauty in his eyes He sprang about the shop to show his lightness, and then running out he placed his hand on the pommel and vaulted into Pommers' saddle, while Wat and his boy applauded in the doorway

Then springing off and running into the shop again he clanked down upon his knees before the iin upon the smithy wall There from his heart he prayed that no shadow or stain should come upon his soul or his honor whilst these arthened to use theion of peace, and yet for many a century the sword and the faith had upheld each other and in a darkened world the best ideal of the soldier had turned in soht "Benedictus doitos htly soldier